11 big-hearted gifts under $30

Between year-end cash appreciation tips, plane tickets back home, holiday parties, and, of course, all those Christmas presents for your nearest and dearest, December can wreak havoc on your wallet.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend big bucks to get somebody a gift they’re bound to cherish. A perfect gift is a thoughtful one — perhaps with an added dash of whimsy, humor, glamour or practicality. And fortunately, some of the best gifts under the tree clock in at a very nice price — under $30, to be precise.

Chatbooks allows you to take the beloved photos clogging up your cell phone and easily turn them into photos books through the Chatbooks app. For the holidays, the company has partnered with Kate Spade New York for nine chic photo book covers perfect for memorializing a year’s worth of memories.

Thank somebody for being a friend with one of these four nostalgic metal and rubber Golden Girls pins — one each for Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia — from Australian pin-creation company You Silly Duffer. May we suggest pairing it with a bottle of wine and a save the date for a Golden Girls marathon?

The cold, dry air outside and office heaters blasting all day long are a perfect storm for chapped lips, making this customizable trio of hydrating, antioxidant-packed skin salves from internet-fave beauty company Glossier a thoughtful, and extremely useful, gift. Pick your three different balms — choose between Birthday (inspired by the famous cake at sweets emporium Milk Bar), Rose, Cherry, Mint, Coconut or Original — for the busy woman-on-the-go to keep in her purse, car and desk drawer.

A series of playful exercises to make your life better, happier and more productive, the Wake Up! handbook promises to help you supercharge your life. Exercises and strategies include methods for mindfulness, engaging your senses, improving creativity and giving back to others. Equally thought-provoking and calming, the book is a great — not to mention fun — resource for anybody to take simple, bite-sized steps towards self-improvement.

Written by Laura Lea Goldberg, a chef and author of the popular food blog LL Balanced, The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook features more than 120 healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes for everyday, at-home occasions. Prioritizing whole foods and a balanced menu over diet fads and trends — and including pantry shopping lists and serving portion recommendations — the recipes manage to be nutritious and healthy while simultaneously comforting and satisfying. The perfect stocking stuffer for those resolving to eat healthier in the new year.

Never lose your mind over water-ring stains again. These geode coasters from Anthropologie — available in eight mesmerizing shades, including Rose Quartz, Amethyst, and Dyed Citron — are so gorgeous that you’ll want to display and use them over and over. Perfect for the clean freak hostess with the mostess.

Perfect for fit friends who live in a small apartment, people who don’t have the extra cash to shell out for a pricey gym membership or workaholics who are always on-the-road traveling, these colorful latex resistance bands come in five different resistance levels and include a carrying bag, instructional e-book and online video workout guide. “Resistance bands are an easy and inexpensive piece of strength-training fitness equipment you should keep in your arsenal,” says Nikki Griggs, NASM-certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist. “Bands are available in difference resistance levels, are compact enough to bring when you travel and are versatile enough to train your entire body.”

An at-home gardening kit you can use on your patio, with seeds including Sweet Basil, Heirloom Rutgers Tomatoes, Green Bell Peppers, Greek Oregano, Italian Parsley and Scallions — all the herbs and veggies you’ll need to create the perfect pizza in your own kitchen. The kit is great way to teach kids about where our food comes from (while cooking up one of their favorites) or a fun twist to date night for your significant other.

Help the friend bit by the wanderlust bug take an adventure and rediscover spontaneity with this whimsical deck of 75 cards, featuring fun prompts — such as “Ask the next person you meet where his/her favorite street is. Go there” and “Eat a dessert for breakfast, three appetizers for lunch, and a breakfast for dinner” — designed to shake up your day, challenge you and make you see the world in a new way.

Been meaning for years to finally knock Moby Dick or Crime and Punishment off your reading list? Inspire your favorite book worm to hit their reading goals with this 100 Books Scratch Off Bucket List Poster. Including iconic books both old and new — everything from Les Miserables and War and Peace to American Psycho and A Game of Thrones — as you scratch off each book, you’ll reveal the cover art underneath.

This tiny tool will be a lifesaver in dozens of situations. At-home handimen will love the Wallet Ninja PRO, a credit card-sized tool that fits in your wallet and has 26 different functions — including working as a bottle opener, ruler, screwdriver, cell phone stand, box opener, eyeglass screw, protractor, wrench and more.